Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-19
ne,ir.bie mendments.

pevirabie Amendments.
The proclamation Of Governor
Bartlett. calling an election to be
held on the 18th Of April, when three
constitutional amendments, adopted
by the recent Legislature, will be sub
mitted to a vote of the people, is ad-
yertised in full in another portion OF
the HERALD. Let the people care
fully read and digest these proposed
amendments, 50 that they will be
able to vote upon them understand
ingly. Amendment No. relates en-
tirely to the Supreme Court. 1t gives
the power to the Justices OF that
Court to elect Chief Justice for two
years whenever vacancy occurs. 1t
also so amends the Constitution that
there will be greater facilities tor ex-
pediting business than there is at
present. 1t continues for four years
the Supreme Court Commission as a
correlstiye court, and enlarges its
powers. The whole object OF these
amendments is to..so expand the ma
chinery of the Supreme Court as to
enable it to clear the calendar and
keep the business of the Court from
being 30 clogged as to render litiga.
ton subject of injury and oppression
instead OF in justice. Amendment No.
2 increases the salaries of Justices OF
the Supreme Court to $1,000, and
those of the Commissioners to $4,000
per annum. 1t also raises the sala-
ries of Superior Judges in San Fran
cisco, Alameda, Los Angeles, Santa
Clara, Yuba and Sutter combined,
Sacramento, Butte, Nevada, San Diego,
San Bernardino, Colusa and Tehama
counties to $4,000 per annum, and
those of Tulare, Monterey, Sonoma
and San Joaquin to $4,000. These
salaries shall so remain until other
wise changed by the Legislature.
This gives the Legislature power to
fix the salaries of Superior Judges
hereafter, a matter that at present
rests entirely with the Constitution.
We look upon this change as good
one for the salaries of officers should
not be fixed by cast iron provision in
the Constitution, but should be regu-
lated by the Legislature. Amend
ment No. 3 makes changes in Article |
XII. OF the Constitution relating to the
fixing of charters for cities of more
than 100, 900 inhabitants. This article
relates exclusively to San Francisco
ss it now is. 1t was got into the Con-
stitution by Judge Hager, and is
copied from the Constitution of Mis-
souri. The amendment carries the
power of making charters by cities to
those of 10000 inhabitants or over.
The charters cannot when they are
set up by the Freeholders OF city
be changed by the Legislature, but
must be passed as a whole. They are
then submitted to the people at a
called election, when, if majority of
the people of the cities ratify them,
they shall become the organic laws of
such cities. This amendment will, if
adopted, enable Los Angeles to
force its own charter and provide for |
its special government without any |
outside alliance or dictation whatever.
But, of course, under it no charter
can be made available for practical
governmental purposes until after its
. ioption by the next Legislature, two
years hence. Each of these Consti-
tutional amendments is meritorious.
The facilities and machinery OF the
Supreme Court ought to be enlarged
50 as to enable it to properly handle
the great press of business now com
ing before IT. Justice should not
only be made easily accessible to
every suitor, but it should be made
"The laws delay" is
now grievance so great that many
people prefer TO suffer under wrong
rather than to seek a remedy that
comes 80 slowly as to wear out both
the patience and the purses of those
,seking it. The increase of salaries
will not be cavilled at by the people
vho have learned by experience that
he best Judges will not continue in
,ffice at the low salaries now given
hem. AS to the last amendment,
he people of all cities in this State of
,yer ten thousand inhabitants, feel
he great need of being placed on the
anne plane, as regards their power to
make their own charters, as that San
enjoys.
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The Legislature passed a bill
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